SMB Training Blog

We can make more trading in 2018

My son Luke took his Kindergarten G&T test this weekend in NYC. Before I left for the airport to partner’s meetings in Austin, he was up and we talked about his big day. Luke was so excited to take a test, his first test.

Lukey and I have been training for this test everyday since the end of the summer. We called it “Kindergarten homework”. Which he thought was just about the coolest thing isn’t he world.

He struggled at first.

But we focused on improvement and choosing the best answer.

When he got stuck and frustrated, we tried to figure out the answer together, and think thru the best answer together.

Coincidentally, around the same time, we tried this delicious new key lime fish oil that tastes like key lime pie at his Poppi’s and turned that into a habit. When he started improving at Kindergarten homework, Lukey started equating such improvement with taking his fish oil.

“Dad I have to take my fish oil so I can get better at Kindergarten homework,” he would say before bed.

Not gonna argue with that.

I called home after we landed in Austin and asked how he did.

He pronounced: “I got all the questions right.”

His mom asked if the teacher told him so.

Lukey said, “No I just know that I did.”

Who can argue with that?

He was so happy after the test. And we can learn as traders from this youthful happiness. What drove this happiness? Growth, excitement to try something new, being challenged.

Our kids can teach us how we can do better as traders. Lukey’s experience can provide color for how we can all make more in 2018. Growth, excitement to try something new, being challenged!

2017 was a very strong year for NYC.

How?

We were open minded to try something new- crypto, blockchain.

Traders challenged themselves to learn a new product.

They grew as traders learning to trade a product with a larger spread.

They pushed to trade a product with a larger price, more risk and more reward in the very hottest sector on the planet.

Kinda like Lukey.

Doubling down on growth, excitement to try something new and challenging ourselves can help us drive making more in 2018.

Was it just crypto and blockchain that brought higher PnL? Or was it that youthful excitement to grow?Was it that youthful open mindedness to find edge in a new product? Was it the newness of moving to stocks not crowded with HFTs, where their skills are superior?

Just like Lukey is forever different after taking his G&T test so are you. You are better traders. That part does not go away even if GBTC does.

How do we take our edge and apply it to new areas?

What can you accomplish in 2018 if you keep growing, being open minded to new experiences, and challenging yourself?

Our top trader in NYC, sat with us for his 2018 goals at the start of this month. He is an excellent role model for anyone in the trading community seeking to make more.

After earning a black shirt this year, and top trader at the firm, he set clear goals to be better in 2018.

He wrote:

Bigger picture, I am also thinking about making the incremental steps to be a 10 million dollar a year trader.

What incremental work can you do to make more in 2018?

2017 is a great year from which to build. We can make more in 2018. And like Lukey, let’s remember how exciting it is to grow, experience things new and challenge ourselves.